Ferrari has unveiled the two factory 499P Hypercars with which it will bid to clinch back-to-back crowns in the FIA World Endurance Championship this year, as Alessandro Pier Guidi acknowledged that ‘defending a title is always harder than winning it in the first place’.
After dominating the opening half of the 2025 FIA WEC campaign – triumphing four times out of four, including in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans with its privately-run AF Corse entry – Ferrari went on to seal its first global endurance racing success since prevailing in the World Sportscar Championship back in 1972 when it wrapped up both the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ honours in last November’s eight-hour finale in Bahrain.
Heading into the forthcoming season, while the all-conquering Hypercar features no major technical changes – having deployed its only ‘Evo Joker’ update thus far midway through 2024 – over the winter, the famous Maranello-based marque has been busy working on data analysis and simulator-to-track correlation to further refine the 499P’s behaviour and team operations.
Efforts have centred upon ironing out the Italian prototype’s weaknesses, seen most obviously last year at Interlagos and Fuji – races that yielded just two points-scoring finishes out of six and no result better than eighth place. With a revised aerodynamic package and development targeted at specific areas – chief amongst which the car’s underbody – the aim for 2026 is to be more consistent across the board.
The two Ferrari AF Corse 499Ps and their drivers were the focal point of a presentation this afternoon at the Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena, in the presence of media, the public and the Prancing Horse’s devoted tifosi as well as Ferrari CEO, Benedetto Vigna and Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti, Antonello Coletta.
“The objective is to defend the leadership we secured in 2025,” asserted Coletta. “That will not be straightforward, as our rivals are increasingly competitive and many of them are fielding updated cars, while we have taken a different approach, believing that the 499P remains competitive enough to fight at the highest level.
“We will tackle the season race-by-race, aiming to achieve the best possible result. Our philosophy is always to look ahead, without dwelling on past achievements, even after an unforgettable season during which we had the unique experience of bringing a world title in the top class of endurance racing back to Maranello for the first time in more than 50 years.
“In 2026, we will approach the challenge with maximum focus, without allowing ourselves to be affected if things do not always go perfectly. Our drivers have a wealth of experience, so I am confident none of them will feel the weight of starting the season as reigning world champions.”
The livery has evolved while remaining true to its heritage, continuing to pay tribute to the 312 P that dominated international endurance racing until 1973 – the final year that Ferrari competed for overall glory prior to its historic return half-a-century later.
Created by the Centro Stile Ferrari, the design features a predominant Rosso Scuderia finish – presented in a new gloss version rather than matte – while an added source of motivation will be the world championship laurels adorning the front wings of both cars beneath the iconic and evocative Prancing Horse emblem, in recognition of Ferrari’s 2025 success.
For the fourth consecutive campaign, the driver line-ups remain unchanged, with Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen continuing to team up in the #50 entry and Antonio Giovinazzi, James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi eager to retain their world championship title in the sister #51 499P.
“Starting a new season after winning the championship is certainly positive and gives us a lot of energy,” commented the latter, “but we are fully aware that everyone begins again on zero points and with the same chances to perform well. Defending a title is always harder than winning it in the first place – something I have already experienced in GT racing.
“The goal for 2026 is to build upon what we achieved last year and, if possible, to improve our result at Le Mans, where we finished on the podium, as well as at other rounds where there is still room to do more. Last year in Qatar, we were very fast, and we hope to repeat that performance so we can start the championship on the right foot.”
“After three very intense seasons, we naturally want to aim for the world championship,” added Nielsen. “Our journey in the top class of endurance racing so far has been incredible. Since 2023, our progress has been remarkable across the board, and we know we have a competitive car. The key now is to continue building upon this positive momentum.
“One of our aims is also to improve on circuits such as Fuji and São Paulo, where we have struggled more than at other tracks, with experience playing a key role. We have been racing the 499P since 2023, but both as a team and as drivers, there is always something new to learn...”
